Tie lock



K. L. SEAMAN July 4, 1939.

TIE LOCK Filed June 20, 1958 7 MW/Q T N mm 6 Va /N we Patented July 4,1939 UNITED STATES ?ATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

The device of the present invention relates to means to hold the knot ofa four-in-hand tie in the position in which the user finally adjusts thesame.

It is believed to be the common experience of men, that ties of theabove mentioned type invariably slip after being knotted to the satisfaction of the user and that such slippage after ad justment results in orgives the appearance of untidiness or carelessness thereby disagreeablyaffecting an otherwise neat and well groomed appearance.

In view of the foregoing, it is therefore a prime object of the presentinvention to provide a small and readily applied tie locking device orfin to nest within the knot of a tie as to engage the respective freemembers of the tie in such manner to prevent relative movementtherebetween.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tie lock which isformed with spurs which engage the free members of a tie in such manneras to prevent relative movement there between.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a tie lock whichis readily placed in operative position, a tie lock which is positive inits function, yet a lock which is well adapted to simplicity and lowcost in production.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention may be apparentfrom the accompanying drawing, the specification, and the subjoinedclaims.

In the drawing of which there is one sheet:

Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the tie lock of this invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the lock of this invention.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of the device of this invention, thesection being taken on line 33, in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view in elevation showing a tie adapted to receive thedevice of this invention for the purpose of preventing relative movementof the free members thereof, and consequently preventing sagging orslipping of the tie knot.

Figure 5 is a view showing application of the tie lock of thisinvention.

The device In of this invention is preferably blanked out of sheetmetal, and is provided with a body portion I 2 and a tongue l4 extendingfrom the body I2.

The end of the tongue I4 is rounded as shown at [6 to facilitateinsertion of the lock in a tie 18 as will be hereinafter described,while the corners 20 and 22 of the body portion are also rounded topresent a smooth and stream-lined contour which facilitates placement ofthe look as well as being of aid in presenting a well balancedappearance.

Spurs 2 and 26 are formed on the body portion l2 at locations which maybe described as being substantially adjacent the intersection of thetongue M with the body portion l2. The spurs being so shaped as to flareoutwardly and upwardly in substantially the manner shown in Figure 1.

Located along the medial vertical center of the device and at a pointapproximately between the spurs 24 and 26, I form a third spur 23 whichis created by punching out and bending the punching (spur) to a pointbeyond ninety degrees, thereby giving the punching or spur a downwardinclination substantially as shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing.

The foregoing description completes the physical construction of thelock, application of which will now be described.

Reference has previously been made to the fact that the tie lock of thisinvention is intended to be used as an appurtenance to a four-in-handtie, such as is illustrated in Figure 4, which figure may be consideredas holding a tie lock in operative position, thereby illustrating thefact that the lock is completely concealed from view.

After a user has placed the tie l8 in position and has given it suchadjustments as his taste may require, the upper portion 18a is liftedsufficiently to enable the tongue M of the lock to be inserted under theloop I81) and of course under the portion |8a of the tie.

After insertion as above setforth the spur 28 is pressed into theunderneath portion I80, substantially as shown in Figure 5.

The tie lock is firmly held in position due to the fact that thedownward inclination of spur 28 prevents its becoming loose, because atthe same time one of the bands I81) is firmly holding the tongue and.body portion flat against the tie member in which the spur 28 isembedded.

Also the spurs 24 and 26 engage the underside of the tie portion I 80.thereby preventing drifting or loosening of that member of the tie.

Thus it will be apparent that the several spurs 24, 26 and 28 engagethose members of the tie which must slip before it may become loosened,and since the spurs have oppositely directed points of engagement theresult thereof is to hold the tie in such a position as to prevent anymovement thereof.

It is recognized that the material of which the device is composed, itslength, breadth, thickness, nor the exact length or inclination of thespurs are matters which fall within the province of choice with theinventor, hence I desire to state that it is obvious that variouschanges and modifications and variations may be made in practicing theinvention in departure from the particular showing of the drawing anddescription as given, without however, departing from the true spirit ofthe invention as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A tie lock comprising a body portion, a tongue extending from saidbody portion, spurs upon said body portion, said spurs being in a planewith said body portion and forming corners thereof, and a third spur,said last mentioned spur extending outwardly and downwardly from saidbody portion.

2. In a device of the character described, a body portion, an elongatedtongue extending therefrom, a spur extending upwardly from each of twocorners on said body portion, and a third spur, said last mentioned spurbeing struck from said tongue and being outwardly and downwardlyinclined.

3. In a tie lock of the character described, a single piece ofrelatively thin fiat metal adapted to be inserted within the knot of afour-in-hand tie, said piece of metal being formed with two sharpenedcorners, said corners being adapted to engage certain of the elements ofsaid tie to prevent movement in a given direction, and a spur extendingfrom said piece of metal in a downwardly and outwardly inclineddirection to engage certain other elements of said tie to preventmovement thereof in a given direction, said tie lock being normallyconcealed from sight.

4. A tie-lock comprising a relatively thin and flat piece of metalhaving a body portion and a tongue, said body portion and said tonguebeing in the same horizontal plane, spurs projecting from said bodyportion adjacent said tongue and forming corners of said body portion,and a spur, said spur being positioned upon said body portion and beinginclined outwardly and downwardly therefrom.

KENT L. SEAMAN.

